


Core Self

by derryderrydown



Category: DCU - Comicverse, Impulse - Fandom, Teen Titans
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-07
Updated: 2009-12-07
Packaged: 2017-10-04 05:52:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derryderrydown/pseuds/derryderrydown





	Core Self

Bart did his best to keep relaxed and casual. He could do this. "So, uh, Robin?"

Robin looked up from his laptop, a crease of concentration just visible above his mask. "What?" There was a hint of irritation, as though Robin was half-expecting Bart to challenge him to a computer game or something equally timewasting.

"You know about meditation, don't you?"

A pause, a fractional tilt of his head. "A little."

"D'you think you could teach me?"

Robin stayed absolutely still for a moment then put the laptop down. "Meditation? You?"

Bart's foot was jittering and he consciously stopped it, resting his weight on his hip to pin it down. "I need to learn how to be absolutely still. And calm. I think."

"Haven't you read about it?"

"Of course. But I learned to lipread from a book and that didn't turn out too good and I've got to get this _right_ and-" Bart bit his lower lip to stop himself.

Robin leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. "Thing is, my meditation techniques probably aren't what you're looking for."

Bart slumped, despite himself. "I suppose not. Yours are probably Batty."

Robin's mouth twitched. "Can Jay not help you?"

Bart shrugged. "The only person I _know_ could help me is Max. But Max..."

Robin just looked at him. "I think you'd be better off asking Jay or Flash."

"Not Flash!"

"Not Flash," Robin agreed, after a moment. "But - not a Gothamite either."

"Not a Gothamite," Bart said dully.

* * *

Bart sat cross-legged on his bedroom floor, leaning back against the wall. The books had said it was important to keep his back straight, so he did, but after that it all got confusing. There were all different types of meditation for all different types of thing but, unsurprisingly, none of them had anything to do with the Speed Force. Speedsters weren't a large enough demographic for any publishing house to target them.

But there was that meditation that was all about using inner light as a focus. Maybe if he used his inner speed...?

Bart shut his eyes and tried to find his speed.

He opened his eyes a moment later when he started vibrating hard enough that his head slammed rather painfully against the wall. He didn't remember that ever happening to Max but he'd only once seen Max communicating with the Speed Force. Perhaps he vibrated when he started off?

Somehow, Bart couldn't quite see it.

With a sigh, he zipped off for a snack.

* * *

Cassie was in the kitchen, staring forlornly into the fridge.

"What's up?"

Cassie blinked and looked round. "Trying to decide if I'm actually hungry or just looking for something to do."

"Displacement activity," Bart said.

Cassie blinked again. "Yeah." She looked at Bart as though he'd changed colour and Bart rubbed his hair self-consciously. "I don't think I am hungry. I take it you are?"

As Cassie stepped away, Bart helped himself to a couple of slices of cold pizza and a soda then slapped the fridge shut. "Of course." Pizza precariously balanced, he headed for the door. "See ya." He stopped in the doorway. "Cassie? Do you know anything about meditation?"

She blinked again. It was making Bart uncomfortable. "Not really. Have you asked Robin?"

Bart sighed. "Yeah. Thanks anyway."

* * *

He flipped through the books in his mind. Maybe he should try out the inner light thing as it was written and try to modify it once he'd mastered the basics? He shut his eyes and looked at the inside of his eyelids.

Oh, cool! If he looked at the lights, everything went pinkish and he could see veins and stuff.

Only, he was meant to be concentrating on vague patterns of lights. And being calm. And relaxed. Yes. He was meant to slip into a dreamlike state. And it would happen any moment.

Aaany moment.

And if he stayed still any longer, he was going to explode, so he went for a quick run around the tower.

Kon was swimming and Bart screeched to a stop to watch. There was something incredibly cool about the fact that Kon could dive _out_ of the pool as smoothly as he dived into it.

Kon stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders as he walked towards his towel. "Hi Imp- er, Kid Flash." He pulled a face. "That takes too long to say. Can't call you Flash because Wally would pitch a fit and can't call you Kid because, well."

Bart frowned. He hadn't really thought of that. "I'll have to ask Wally what people called him for short."

"Is it weird?" Kon asked.

Bart cocked his head.

"I mean, you've suddenly got a whole new path to follow." Kon shrugged. "Just, I kinda thought you'd be all Max-y when you grew up and instead you're choosing to be Flash."

Bart looked at his feet. "I always had the choice. And... I made it." He kicked the floor. "It was hard. You're lucky. You don't have to choose."

Kon lifted the towel and vigorously rubbed his hair dry. When he looked up, his face was slightly flushed. "Yeah. No choice for me. I wear the S. Makes things easy."

Bart sighed. "You're lucky." He looked up. "Do you know anything about meditation?"

Kon stared at him. "_Me?_ Um, no."

Bart nodded slowly. "Okay. I think I'll ask Jay."

* * *

He took an entire ten seconds to run back to Keystone City. "Uncle Jay?"

Jay put down his newspaper. "Shouldn't you be at the Tower? Is something wrong?"

"No. Well. I don't know."

"That's enlightening." Jay's smile was friendly and Bart settled cross-legged on the floor.

"See, Max could talk to people in the Speed Force. Can you do that?"

Jay shook his head. "No, son."

"So you can't teach me?"

"Who do you want to talk to?" Bart looked at him and Jay smiled ruefully. "Silly of me to ask. What do you need to ask him?"

Bart fiddled with his boot. "Well... He always said he had plans for me but he wouldn't tell me what they were. And I need to know whether I've screwed up his plans by becoming Kid Flash. Because if I have, I can change back to Impulse and I won't mind but I don't _know_ what he'd want me to do. Did he tell _you_ what he had planned for me?"

Jay took a deep breath and leaned forward to rest his hand on Bart's shoulder. "I don't know what he had planned but I know he'd be proud of you. You're doing _well_, Bart. Even if you could do with concentrating a bit more at school..."

"Now you sound like him." Bart glanced up and managed a small smile. "We will get Max back, won't we?"

"Of cour-" Jay stopped and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was going to say that of course we will but you're growing up. We'll try but I can't promise anything."

"I miss him, Uncle Jay."

"I know, son." Jay squeezed Bart's shoulder. "Now, shouldn't you be getting back to the Tower?"

"Before Kory notices I've gone and blasts me off the island." Bart grinned. He paused at the doorway and looked back. "Uncle Jay? Do you know anything about meditation?"

Jay blinked. "Not _really_."

Bart nodded slowly. "Never mind."

I've got books, he thought as he ran back to the Tower. And if Max could learn how to do it, I can.


End file.
